FR3059103A1 - METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE QUANTITY OF A CONTENT CONTAINED IN A FOOD RATIONUM CONSUMED BY A RUMINANT, PROGRAM, MEMORY AND CORRESPONDING DEVICE. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention particularly relates to a method for determining the amount of feed that causes a reduction in enteric methane, a feed contained in a feed ration consumed by a ruminant to be evaluated ", comprising, from a database, the steps below: To determine, for a biological material, a calibration equation that makes it possible to quantify a tracer from absorption spectra of said database; To submit a biological material of a new ruminant to be evaluated ", to a radiation for obtaining a corresponding measured absorption spectrum, and obtaining the amount of said tracer from said corresponding spectrum and said equation of the previous step; Depending on the amount of said tracer, calculate the amount of input that causes a reduction of methane and deliver it on an interface.

Description

(54) METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE QUANTITY OF A CONTENT CONTAINED IN A FOOD RATION CONSUMED BY A RUMINANT, PROGRAM, MEMORY AND CORRESPONDING DEVICE.

(57) The invention relates in particular to a method for determining the amount of intake which causes a reduction in enteric methane, intake contained in a food ration consumed by a ruminant to be evaluated, comprising, from a database, the steps below:

Determine, for a biological material, a calibration equation which makes it possible to quantify a tracer from absorption spectra of said database;

Subjecting a biological material of a new ruminant to be evaluated to radiation to obtain a measured measured absorption spectrum, and obtaining the quantity of said tracer from said corresponding spectrum and from said equation of the previous step;

Depending on the quantity of said tracer, calculate the quantity of input which causes a reduction in methane and deliver it on an interface.

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DOAAAINE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for determining the amount of an intake contained in a food ration consumed by a ruminant, a program, a memory and a corresponding device. The purpose of this intake is to reduce the amount of enteric methane.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In emerging countries, the consumption of animal products is booming. Indeed, since 1960, consumption of dairy products, meat and eggs has increased by 2, 3 and 5 respectively, in developing countries. In addition, projections indicate that world agricultural production will need to grow by 60% to meet needs in the next 40 years (FAO, 2009).

In addition to production challenges, agriculture must now integrate the environmental challenge. Indeed, agriculture is one of the main sectors emitting greenhouse gases (abbreviated as GHG), whether at national level (19% of the total GHG emitted in France, with an equal distribution between animal sectors and plants (Center Interprofessionnel Technique d'Etudes de la Pollution Atmosphérique (CITEPA), 2009)) or globally (13% of total anthropogenic emissions: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC), 2007)).

Even if agricultural emissions decreased by around 12% between 1990 and 2007, there is still room for improvement.

The main gas contributing to GHG emissions in livestock farming is methane (CH ₄ ) and in particular enteric methane. The latter comes directly from the digestion of ruminants and economically viable and applicable solutions aimed at reducing it are particularly sought after. Action levers to reduce methane emissions from cattle exist with greater and lesser and proven efficiencies (see in particular Doreau et al., 2011; Doreau et al., 2014; Martin et al., 2016).

Many strategies to reduce methane emissions have been proposed (Doreau et al. 2011; Doreau et al. 2014). These strategies can be grouped into three categories, each of which leads to similar animal performances, even better for some:

1 / Those which aim to increase the starch content of the rations and to add lipid supplements;

2 / Those which aim to provide or stimulate the pathways which will generate precursors of dihydrogen consuming substances (organic acids, propionate precursors, yeasts, acetogenic bacteria) in order to divert the dihydrogen (H2) which has been produced, from the pathways methanogenesis;

3 / Those that use the secondary metabolites of plants.

Most of the solutions that have shown potential in vitro benefits in limiting GHG emissions could not be validated in vivo.

However, when in vivo effects were nevertheless obtained, these results were offset by reductions in intake, digestibility, and even by a reduction in productivity.

In addition, rumen bacteria tend to adapt to these solutions, thereby reducing the effectiveness of these solutions over the long term.

Notwithstanding these findings, the analysis of the bibliography highlights a number of promising solutions:

/ Addition of yeasts:

The inter-study comparison is very delicate because the responses of the animals vary according to the type of yeast used (live yeast, yeast with culture medium, yeast strain used), but also according to the type of diet (Newbold et al ., 2006). Thus, despite the very high theoretical potential represented by yeasts, Chaucheyras-Durand et al. (2008) note that precautions must be taken in their use. In fact, not all yeast strains give the same results and the results obtained in vitro are sometimes not found in in vivo studies.

2 / Addition of enzymes:

The results of in vivo studies show a great variability in the responses obtained according to the type of enzyme used, the foods distributed and the experimental conditions themselves. Although there is a certain potential for reducing emissions of substances having an impact on the environment (GHG, Phosphorus, ...) with these food enzymes, few studies have been published to confirm these effects on ruminants.

3 / Addition of plant extracts:

There are very many plant extracts containing more than 20,000 secondary metabolites. Among these plant extracts, it is possible to cite saponins, tannins, essential oils. As with yeasts, most of the effects were obtained during in vitro tests, and remain to be validated much more widely in vivo (Patra et al, 2009; Patra et al., 2010).

It is therefore obvious that screening work must be carried out in vitro, before being able to validate these effects in vivo and consider deploying this solution in the field. In addition, synergies between yeasts and other food additives such as plant extracts could also be explored.

4 / Addition of chemical or medicinal compounds:

Among these solutions, it is possible to cite the addition of nitrate or sulfate in the rations, or even organic acids (Ungerfeld et al., 2011) or 3-nitroxypropanol (NOP) (Hristovet al., 2015).

For example, adding nitrate to dairy cow diets results in a 16% drop in methane emissions without improving milk yield (van Zijderveld et al., 2011). In sheep, this drop reaches 32% with nitrate and 16% with sulfate (van Zijderveld et al., 2010). However, as the authors cited above point out, the addition of such substances can, if the doses and methods of intake are poorly known, lead to serious phenomena of anoxia.

The addition of halogenated compounds in the rations (which play the role of electron sensors), such as bromochloromethane or chloroform, falls into this category but its effectiveness is only transitory (Eckard et al., 2010).

In the literature, work also concerns the use of vaccination to reduce GHG emissions. However, the results of this work have so far been inconclusive (Martin et al., 2010) and this strategy also poses significant legislative problems.

Furthermore, ionophore antibiotics (monensin and lasalocid) have the capacity to reduce CH4 emissions in the rumen (Martin et al., 2010).

5 / Choice of fodder:

Forages integrate into their structure a very large number of compounds (tannins, saponins, lipids, sugars, fibers, etc.) which, taken one by one, have effects on growth performance and / or on GHG emissions ( Waghorn, 2008).

Among the most promising forages, it is possible to cite chicory, sainfoin (Hedysarum coronarium), the trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) or clover (Trifolium sp.).

Integrated into ruminant rations, they could constitute solutions which would both optimize growth performance while reducing enteric methane emissions. Thus, according to Ramirez-Restrepo et al. (2005), the key points for fodder used for optimized production and having little impact on GHGs are their digestible sugar contents, as well as the presence of tannins and certain secondary metabolites.

6 / Lipid supplementation of rations:

At the present time, lipid supplementation of rations, that is to say the addition of lipids to the food ration, seems the most successful solution and which gives globally consistent results in the literature. On the other hand, unlike most of the other solutions proposed, the effect of lipids seems to be persistent (Eugène et al., 2011; Doreau et al., 2014).

a / Effect of the quantity of lipids ingested

Lipids are an important energy substrate for animals, but also have the ability to reduce methane emissions.

Indeed, the addition of fat (MG) in the ration decreases the activity of methanogenic bacteria, decreases the number of protozoa and, as regards polyunsaturated fats, makes it possible to increase the pathways of biohydrogenation of fatty acids (Beauchemin et al., 2009; Eckard et al., 2010).

In breeding practices, it is conventionally advised not to exceed 5% of fat in rations. At these doses, performance is generally retained. Indeed, the addition of lipids in the ration makes it possible to increase the energy density of this one. Beyond these doses, a decrease in the digestibility of the rations is observed.

In ruminants (sheep and cattle combined), Martin et al. (2010) estimated an average drop in CH4 emissions per kg / dry matter (DM) of 3.8% for 1% of lipid supplementation in rations.

In a meta-analysis by Grainger et al. (2011), for cattle (dairy and meat), an increase in MG of 10g / kg of dry matter lowers enteric methane by about 5%. In sheep, this reduction reaches 10%.

According to Moate et al. (2011), this reduction overall reaches 3.5% for each lipid supplementation of 10g / kg DM and this, in a range of lipid contents in rations varying from 10 to 110g / kg DM and without difference between dairy cattle and cattle at meat.

b / Effect of the type of lipids added

Adding lipids is an effective way to reduce methane emissions in cattle. However, the type of lipid also has an important role to play.

Indeed, according to Martin et al. (2010), it is clear that the nature of the fatty acids added has an influence on the level of reduction of emissions, as shown in Table 1 below from this publication.

Table 1: Evaluation of the decrease in enteric CH4 emissions (g / kg MSI) by 1% of added fat (Martin et al., 2010).

Fat Type C12-C14 C16: 0 C18: 1 C18: 2n-6 C18: 3n-3 Source example Oil of Oil of Oil Oil of Seed / Oil of contribution coconut webbed olive sunflower linen Reduced emissions from -7.3% -3.5% -2.5% -4.1% -4.8%

methane

In addition, unlike other food additives, such as saponins or tannins, the effect of lipids appears to be persistent (Eugène et al., 2011; Grainger et al., 2011; Moate et al., 2011).

c / Effect of the form of contribution

Besides the quality of lipids provided by food, the form of intake of these fatty acids is important.

In dairy cattle, the work of Martin et al. (2008) have shown 10 a stronger effect of the lipids provided in the form of extruded flax compared to raw seed (as shown in Table 2 below also extracted from this publication) on enteric methane emissions. An intake in the form of an oil, although it acts more significantly, is not carried out because of the zootechnical and health risks run by its use.

Table 2: Methane emissions in dairy cows as a function of the form of flax (CLS = raw flax; ELS = extruded flax seeds; LSO = flax oil) (Martin et al., 2008).

1‘-1 :. VS CL8 HJ LSO SEM f rjï .. - j 418.1 * setf ! Oirf 18.64 0.00! CH *. % GE ia, shut up 6, Ï * if 3.0 * 0.21 0.0 " CB *. gftg of 0H Bitake 22.5 * ».F MW * 0.ÎÎ o.ooi i ii ,, 1:; \ 'lH' .at /.i- t- ·. · ÔM ’ eef * 27.8 ' ? H 0.0 " f it ;. ! Ί ‘1 1 i-.l 81.4 * MJ * D1 i 1 ' 108 0.00! <Ή ;. ; ! - i Miss 136. * 1410 * 185.9 * h- '* 6.48 0.051 'h, him- IM * Ilf 12.2 " U ⁵ O.M 0.001 CH * gâg ef ® iit'ÇôeectoA iïiilk Bf JM * bed St.f lîï (106! CH *. * »Inïll« i «fgy aiîtpot 33.8 * o * at." 0.0 "

These differences in effect depending on the form of lipid intake are to be related to:

a / The availability of fat in the rumen.

Indeed, the extrusion has the effect of releasing the fatty matter from the cells of the seed and of acting more efficiently on the bacterial ecosystem, in particular by reducing the C2 / C3 ratio and thus by limiting the excess of hydrogen, the latter constituting the substrate for the synthesis of CH4 (Peyraud et al., 2011).

b / The digestibility of fat.

Indeed, the energy digestibility coefficient of the ground flaxseed (51%) is much lower than that of the extruded seeds intended for pork (76% and 84%). This lower digestibility is essentially linked to a low digestibility of the fat content of the crushed seed (51% vs 81% and 90% for the extruded seeds) (Noblet et al., 2008).

This difference in the form of intake is also seen through the Omega 3 fatty acid composition in beef. Normand et al. (2006) showed that the extruded flaxseed resulted in a C18: 3n-3 enrichment of the meat greater than 50% compared to the flattened flaxseed.

PROBLEAAATICS BASED ON THE PRESENT INVENTION

Measuring easily and on a large scale the savings in enteric methane achieved following the introduction into the animal ration of an intake causing a proven reduction in methane production, that is to say which has already been demonstrated to have effects reduction of enteric methane is a priority to meet the environmental requirements of consumers and society, and thus allow virtuous approaches to the environment to be better recognized.

Among the methods for measuring enteric methane, it is possible to cite the respiratory chamber, the tracer gas technique SF6, or the mobile solution known as GreenFeed (Arbre et al., 2016a, b). The latter technique is the most suitable for use in the field, but it requires significant maintenance and a significant investment.

In addition, even if numerous methodologies for calculating enteric methane emissions have been established on dairy ruminants from milk fatty acids in particular (Chesneau et al., 2008, 2010; Mohammed et al., 2011; van Lingen and al., 2014), in beef, this quantification is more complex.

The document FR 2961907 is concerned with the evaluation of the quantity of methane linked to the breeding of meat ruminants, using the fatty acid composition of the meats.

However, in accordance with this technique, the quantity evaluated only applies from a measurement on the meat taken from the animal, and takes account of the lipid content of the piece of meat.

However, to date there is a need to quantify the reduction in enteric methane emissions from meat-producing ruminants (dairy cows, cull or beef cattle), without having to analyze their meat, for more simplicity in terms of Implementation.

In other words, there is to date for operators downstream of the meat production chains, a demand for rapid quantification of the reduction in enteric methane emissions from ruminants fed with food intakes with the aim of reducing emissions. of enteric methane, without knowing in advance the intake and / or the composition of the ration (from which many equations could have been developed), these being difficult to trace.

This quantification, in addition to allowing the quantification of the reduction of methane itself, would also allow, for example, to be able to monetize this reduction, to be taken into account very early, within the framework of national inventories of reduction of methane, to constitute a means of proof that the farmer owning the animals is indeed participating in a GHG reduction program, to generate tonnes of non-emitted CO ₂ which can be traded on the Carbon market, etc.

The present invention aims to meet this expectation, by quantifying the amount of intake in the food ration, which is at the origin of this reduction of enteric methane.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, it relates to a method for determining a posteriori the quantity QE of AE intake which causes a reduction in enteric methane, AE intake contained in a RAE food ration consumed by a ruminant called ruminant to be evaluated. RE, characterized in that it includes the implementation of the steps below which consist in:

a1) From a BDD database formed of visible and / or infrared (near and / or medium) SR absorption spectra of the same biological material MBR from several animals of the same species, called series d AR reference animals, this series of AR reference animals having consumed a RAR food ration containing the same AR intake which causes a reduction in enteric methane, the RAR ration cumulatively satisfying the following three criteria:

t-1) the RAR ration excludes all sources of animal fat; t-2) the RAR ration limits the intake of vegetable oil to 5% by weight of the dry matter of the ration;

t-3) the RAR ration contains at least one lipid source rich in alpha-linolenic acid n-3 (ALA), that is to say more than 30% of the total amount of fatty acids (FA) consists of TO THE ;

this BDD database also comprising, for each SR spectrum, the quantity QAR of said supply AR as well as the quantity QT of a tracer T, that is to say of at least one organic or inorganic compound present in said biological material MBR which results from the consumption of said AR input, this quantity of tracer T having been predetermined, b1) Determine, by mathematical algorithms, for said biological material MBR, a calibration equation EC which makes it possible to quantify said tracer T, from the spectrum visible and / or infrared absorption SR corresponding to said database BDD;

c1) Submit an MBE biological material from a new ruminant, called ruminant to be evaluated RE, this MBE biological material being identical to that defined in a1) and coming from an animal of the same species as those of said series of reference animals AR, using a spectrometer, with visible and / or infrared radiation to obtain a corresponding absorption spectrum measured SM, ίο and obtain the quantity QTM of said tracer T from said corresponding measured spectrum SM and said equation EC of step b1);

d1) Depending on the quantity QTM of said tracer T of step c1), for the animal from which said biological material MBE of step c1) originates, calculate the quantity QE of intake AE which causes a reduction in enteric methane and deliver it on a physical interface, this quantity QE of input AE being determined by relating the quantity of tracer QTM resulting from step c1) to the quantities QAR of input contained in said database BDD;

OR a2) From a BDD database formed of visible and / or infrared (near and / or medium) SR absorption spectra of the same MBR biological material from several animals of the same species, called series reference animals, this series of AR reference animals having consumed a RAR food ration containing the same AR intake which causes a reduction in enteric methane, the RAR ration cumulatively satisfying the following three criteria:

t-1) the RAR ration excludes all sources of animal fat; t-2) the RAR ration limits the intake of vegetable oil to 5% by weight of the dry matter of the ration;

t-3) the RAR ration contains at least one lipid source rich in alpha-linolenic acid n-3 (ALA), that is to say more than 30% of the total amount of fatty acids (FA) consists of TO THE ;

this BDD database also comprising, for each SR spectrum, INF information according to which the corresponding animal has consumed a RAR food ration containing an AR intake which causes a reduction in enteric methane, as well as the quantity QAR of the AR intake correspondent;

b2) Determine, by mathematical algorithms, for said biological material MBR, an EC calibration equation which makes it possible to determine the quantity of QAR intake contained in said RAR food ration;

c2) Submit an MBE biological material from a new ruminant, called ruminant to be evaluated RE, this MBE biological material being identical to that defined in a1) and coming from an animal of the same species as those of said series of reference animals AR, using a spectrometer, with visible and / or infrared radiation and deduce the quantity QAE from the AE supply which causes a reduction in enteric methane.

According to advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of this process, taken alone or according to any combination of at least two of them:

- between said steps b1) and c1), respectively b2) and c2), the use of said equation from step b1), respectively b2) is validated, on biological materials originating from animals external to those of said base data, since the correlation coefficient between the quantity of said tracer obtained by the implementation of step b1), respectively the quantity of input obtained by the implementation of step b2), and said quantity predetermined, is greater than 0.7;

- following step d1), respectively c2), the quantity of enteric methane not released is determined.

- the said quantity of enteric methane not released is determined by implementing the following equation:

Methane saved (g / animal) = Duration of application of the contribution (days) * (CRCH4) * CH4 (g / animal / day), equation in which:

- CRCH4, expressed as a percentage, is a reduction coefficient of enteric methane associated with a particular amount of intake, and

- CH4, expressed in g / animal / day, is the average quantity of enteric methane emitted by the animal considered;

- said biological material is selected from the group consisting of leather, carcass, meat, a biological fluid of said ruminant, or belongs to an accessible anatomical zone on said living ruminant or on its carcass, such as an ear or the tongue ;

- said biological fluid consists of blood, urine or saliva;

- Said tracer of step b1) is a fatty acid such as alpha-linolenic acid;

- said information is the result of the recognition, via said spectra of the database, of an intake of alpha-linolenic acid, from the fatty acid composition of said biological material;

- said series of animals in said database comprises animals of different races, and / or of different sexes, and / or of different ages and / or of different genetic types, namely of a meat breed, d 'a dairy or mixed breed;

- said predetermined quantity of tracer in said database was determined by one of the following methods: gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), spectrophotometry, biochemical, immunological, proteomic or metabolomic assay.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising code instructions for implementing the method according to one of the preceding characteristics, when it is executed on a computer such as a computer.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a computer memory in which a computer program is stored, said computer program comprising code instructions which allow a machine to carry out the steps of the method according to the invention. 'one of the foregoing features when this program is executed by said machine.

Finally, a fourth aspect of the invention relates to a device for implementing the method according to one of the preceding characteristics, characterized in that it comprises a database, a calculator such as a computer containing a memory in which said equation of said step b1), respectively b2) is stored, as well as a visible and / or infrared absorption spectrometer (near and / or medium).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Throughout this application, including the claims and the abstract, and unless expressly stipulated:

- the quantities relating to weights are expressed in grams;

- when we speak of a series of reference animals, we mean that these animals are of the same species with, however, the possibility of being of different races, different sexes, age or different genetic types. Thus, by way of example, this series can consist of cattle (same species), belonging to the Blonde d'Aquitaine and Bretonne Pie noir races;

- in steps c1), respectively c2), the biological material is the same as that used for the constitution of the database;

- the term carcass means a dead animal whose muscles have not been removed;

- the spectrometer can also be a non-mobile spectrometer, that is to which one will approach the biological material to obtain the spectrum, as a spectrometer shaped to be moved on site and to perform the recording via a probe connected to this spectrometer;

- the spectra are acquired in the visible and / or near or medium infrared;

- the computer can be integrated into a physical computer as well as integrated into the spectrometer. However, it can also be remote, ie in the form of cloud computing.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows.

This description will be made with reference to the following exemplary embodiment.

1 / Starting hypothesis

In the context of this example, a beef breed bull reared according to a conventional method is considered, which has the following characteristics:

- Live weight = 720 kg;

- Raising time = 199 days;

- Estimated enteric methane emissions, according to the AGRIBALYSE method (registered trademark) and the articles Koch et of., 2013 and Colomb et al., 2014)):

CH ₄ = 1.314 kg CO2eq / kg live animal = 190 g CH4 / day (with 1kg CH4 = 25 kg CO2)

2 / Implementation of a food intake which causes a reduction in enteric methane

For this animal, the implementation of a food strategy to reduce enteric methane is carried out in the form of a contribution to its usual food ration. This contribution is made in the form of a contribution of 1.81% of lipids from extruded flax seeds (40% fat (MG) and 55% of ALA in flax MG, for an Ingested Dry Matter estimated at 10kg / d), or an intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) up to 100g / day during the 100 days before slaughter.

The use of such a lipid source from the n-3 fatty acid family is a solution described in the scientific literature as being particularly effective in reducing enteric methane emissions.

3 / Identification by near infrared spectrometry (SPIR) of the implementation of this food intake for reduction of enteric methane by the identification of a tracer

There is a close link between the animal's eating practices and the fatty acid profile of meats from the same animal.

The implementation of rations including n3 unsaturated fatty acids (AGPIn-3) as means of reduction of enteric methane, has consequences on the fatty acid profile of tissues, as described in the articles: Woods et al., 2009 ; ANSES, 2011; Kouba et al., 2011; Habeanu et al., 2014; Bernardi et al., 2015.

Thus, the fatty acid composition of meats can be used to identify that the strategy to reduce methane emissions has been implemented in farming.

In the present example, the saturated fatty acid / alpha linolenic acid (AGS / ALA) ratio is used as a tracer proving that the animal has consumed the intake as defined above, according to the dosage indicated above (1.81% of rich lipids in ALA in addition to the ration and for 100 days). This ratio must be less than 100.

3 '/ Direct identification by SPIR of the use of this contribution

This identification constitutes an alternative to that which was described in point 3 / previous.

This identification is based on the constitution of a database (BDD) of 252 spectra acquired on carcasses (the anatomical location of the spectral measurement is at the level of the flank flap with aponeurosis) of meat ruminants from commercial farms, spectra associated with the fatty acid profile of the flank flanks (Rectus abdominis) trimmed and without aponeurosis of these same animals.

The AGS / ALA report made it possible to assign to each animal constituting the BDD its belonging to a first group having received a food intake reducing enteric methane (lipid supplementation) or to a second group which did not receive it.

The mathematical models (PLS-DA (Acronym of Partial Least Square-Discriminant Analysis)) developed made it possible to arrive at the confusion matrix below with criteria of sensitivity of 78%, specificity of 80% and accuracy 79%.

Predicted / (Observed) With lipid intake Without lipid intake With lipid intake 88 / (80%) 31 / (22%) Without lipid solution 22 / (20%) 111 / (78%)

The algorithm developed was then tested on a new group of 112 animals and made it possible to obtain the following confusion matrix, thus validating the possibility of recognizing by SPIR measurement if the individual received the lipidic reduction contribution of methane. enteric.

Predicted / (Observed) With lipid intake Without lipid intake With lipid intake 36 (72%) 22 (35%) Without lipid intake 14 (28%) 40 (65%)

Thus, the calibration developed above can be applied to a new animal carcass.

Indeed, from a new measurement on a new carcass, we can identify if this carcass comes from an animal having had a lipid intake of AGPIn-3 in its ration and thus allows to check whether, yes or no, we used an intake causing methane reduction.

If this is the case, a calculation of the effective reduction of methane can be made.

4 / Methodology for calculating methane savings

4a / Determination of the Methane Emission Reduction Coefficient (CRCH4)

Doreau et al. (2011) updated the data collected by Martin et al. (2010) and obtained for C18: 3n-3 rich fats (present in extruded flax in particular) an average drop in methane (expressed in grams) per kg of dry matter ingested of 5.6% per point of lipids added to the animal's ration.

Assuming that:

- the addition of lipids in AGPIn-3 does not significantly modify the ingested dry matter (MSI);

- the contribution which generates the reduction of methane emissions is equivalent to 1.81% of lipids rich in ALA in the ration, from where a coefficient of reduction of enteric methane (CRCH4) of 5.6 * 1.81 = 10.4% compared to the baseline.

4b / Calculation of methane savings linked to the implementation of food intake

The reduction in enteric methane emissions linked to the implementation of the above-mentioned contribution is given by the following formula:

Methane saved (g) = Duration of application of food intake (days) * (CRCH4) * CH ₄

With CRCH4 = 5.6 *% lipids rich in ALA of the intake in the ration.

Or, for the example above:

100 (days) * [5.6 '1.81 / 100] * 190 (gCH4 / d) = 1925g CH ₄ saved.

In an embodiment given by way of nonlimiting illustration, the method according to the invention can be implemented as follows:

Software can thus be used. It preferably comprises two parts or modules.

The first module can be associated with a graphical interface which makes it possible to display the spectrum of the biological material to be evaluated. It makes it possible to visualize the spectrum and to detect outliers. It also allows the entry of identifiers in relation to the biological materials to be evaluated. This is for example a number allocated to the corresponding animal, a slaughterhouse slaughter number or any other information allowing the tracing of the animal.

The second module calculates the amount of intake and enteric methane not released for the animal from which the biological material is derived.

The calibration models (both quantitative or qualitative) will have been previously loaded into a memory in which the constituent information of the database is also stored.

These models make it possible to assign coefficients for each absorbance value measured at each wavelength making up the infrared and / or visible spectrum. The results obtained by these models are of two types: quantitative value of the tracer or probability of belonging to a group (qualitative approach).

The operator will have the choice between one, the other or the two calculation methods:

-Calculation from a quantitative approach (first alternative of claim 1 appended);

OR

-Calculation from the qualitative approach (second alternative of claim 1 appended).

At the same time, he will have to enter the information necessary for the calculations, namely:

- the type of animal from a pre-established list, which list is associated with, for each type of animal the average quantity of methane emitted;

- the duration of distribution of the contribution;

- possibly the live weight of the animal or the weight of its carcass.

Then, he will have to acquire the spectrum of biological material (either by bringing the sample near the spectrometer, by using a remote probe, or by bringing the spectrometer directly to the area (if the spectrometer is portable).

Bibliographic references to which a person skilled in the art can refer:

ANSES (2011). Impact of animal feed practices on the fatty acid composition of animal products intended for humans. National Agency for Food Safety, Environment, Work, Paris, France, 274 p.

Arbre M., Rochette Y., Guyader J., Lascoux C., Gomez L. M., Eugène M., Morgavi D. P., Renand G., Doreau M. & Martin C. (2016). Repeatability of enteric methane determinations from cattle using either the SF6 tracer technique or the GreenFeed System. Animal Production Science, 56 (3), 238.

Arbre M., Martin C., Rochette Y., Lascoux C., Eugène M. & Doreau M. (2016). Comparison of three techniques for measuring enteric methane emissions by ruminants. In: 65th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science, 67.

Beauchemin K. A., McGinn S. M., Benchaar C. & Holtshausen L. (2009). Crushed sunflower, flax, or canola seeds in lactating dairy cow diets: Effects on methane production, rumen fermentation, and milk production. Journal of Dairy Science, 92 (5), 2118-2127.

Bernardi D. M., Bertol T. M., Pflanzer S. B., Sgarbieri V. C. & Pollonio M. A. R. (2015). ω-3 in meat products: Benefits and effects on lipid oxidative stability. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, n / a-n / a.

Chaucheyras-Durand F., Walker N. D. & Bach A. (2008). Effects of active dry yeasts on the rumen microbial ecosystem: Past, present and future. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145 (1-4), 5-26.

Chesneau G. & Weill P. (2008). Process for evaluating the quantity of methane produced by a dairy ruminant. VALOREX. FR2933191.

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Claims (13)

1. Method for determining a posteriori the quantity of intake which causes a reduction in enteric methane, intake contained in a food ration consumed by a ruminant called ruminant to be evaluated, characterized in that it comprises the implementation of the steps ci - which consist of: a1) From a database formed of visible and / or infrared (near and / or medium) absorption spectra of the same biological material from several animals of the same species, called series of animals of reference, this series of reference animals having consumed a food ration containing the same intake which causes a reduction of enteric methane, the ration satisfying cumulatively the following three criteria: t-1) the ration excludes any source of animal fat; t-2) the ration limits the intake of vegetable oil to 5% by weight of the dry matter of the ration; t-3) the ration contains at least one lipid source rich in alpha-linolenic acid n-3 (ALA), i.e. of which more than 30% of the total amount of fatty acids (FA) consists of ALA ; this database also comprising, for each spectrum, the quantity of said supply as well as the quantity of a tracer, that is to say of at least one organic or inorganic compound present in said biological material which results from the consumption of said supply , this quantity of tracer having been predetermined, b1) Determine, by mathematical algorithms, for said biological material, a calibration equation which makes it possible to quantify said tracer, from the visible and / or infrared absorption spectrum corresponding to said base of data ; c1) Submit a biological material from a new ruminant, called ruminant to be evaluated, this biological material being identical to that defined in a1) and coming from an animal of the same species as those of said series of reference animals, to l using a spectrometer, with visible and / or infrared radiation to obtain a corresponding measured absorption spectrum, and to obtain the quantity of said tracer from said corresponding measured spectrum and from said equation of step b1); d1) Depending on the quantity of said tracer from step c1), for the animal from which said biological material from step c1) originates, calculate the quantity of input which causes a reduction in enteric methane and deliver it to a physical interface, this amount of input being determined by relating the amount of tracer from step c1) to the amounts of input contained in said database; OR a2) From a database formed of visible and / or infrared (near and / or medium) absorption spectra of the same biological material from several animals of the same species, called series of animals of reference, this series of reference animals having consumed a food ration containing the same contribution which causes a reduction of enteric methane, the ration satisfying cumulatively the following three criteria: t-1) the ration excludes any source of animal fat; t-2) the ration limits the intake of vegetable oil to 5% by weight of the dry matter of the ration; t-3) the ration contains at least one lipid source rich in alpha-linolenic acid n-3 (ALA), i.e. of which more than 30% of the total amount of fatty acids (FA) consists of ALA ; this database also comprising, for each spectrum, information according to which the corresponding animal has consumed a food ration containing an intake which causes a reduction in enteric methane, as well as the amount of the corresponding intake; b2) Determine, by mathematical algorithms, for said biological material, a calibration equation which makes it possible to determine the quantity of intake contained in said food ration; c2) Submit a biological material from a new ruminant, called ruminant to be evaluated, this biological material being identical to that defined in a1) and coming from an animal of the same species as those of said series of reference animals, to l 'Using a spectrometer, to visible and / or infrared radiation and deduce the amount of input which causes a reduction of enteric methane. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, between said steps b1) and c1), respectively b2) and c2), the use of said equation of step b1), respectively b2) is validated, on biological materials from animals external to those of said database, as soon as the correlation coefficient between the quantity of said tracer obtained by the implementation of step b1), respectively the quantity of input obtained by the implementation of step b2), and said predetermined quantity is greater than 0.7. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that following step d1), respectively c2), the amount of enteric methane not released is determined. 4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the said quantity of enteric methane not rejected is determined by implementing the following equation: Methane saved (g / animal) = Duration of application of the contribution (days) * (CRCH4) * CH4 (g / animal / day), equation in which: - CRCH4, expressed as a percentage, is a reduction coefficient of enteric methane associated with a particular amount of intake, and - CH4, expressed in g / animal / day, is the amount of average enteric methane emitted by the animal considered. 5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said biological material is chosen from the group consisting of leather, carcass, meat, a biological fluid of said ruminant, or belongs to an anatomical area accessible on said live ruminant or on its carcass, such as an ear or tongue. 6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that said biological fluid consists of blood, urine or saliva. 7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tracer of step b1) is a fatty acid such as alpha-linolenic acid. 8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said information comes from the recognition, via the said spectra of the database of an intake of alpha-linolenic acid, from the acid composition fat of said biological material. 9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said series of animals from said database comprises animals of different races, and / or of different sexes, and / or of different ages and / or of different genetic types, namely a meat breed, a dairy breed or a mixed breed. 10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said predetermined quantity of tracer in the said database was determined by one of the following methods: gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography ( HPLC), spectrophotometry, biochemical, immunological, proteomic or metabolomic assay. 11. Computer program comprising code instructions for implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 10 when it is executed on a computer such as a computer. 12. Computer memory in which a computer program is stored, said computer program comprising code instructions which allow a machine to carry out the steps of the method according to one of claims 1 to 10 when this program is executed by said machine. 13. Device for implementing the method according to one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a database, a computer such as a computer containing a memory in which said equation is stored of said step b1), respectively b2), as well as a visible and / or infrared absorption spectrometer (near and / or medium).